One of the most beloved and well known actors of the late twentieth century, Don Knotts, was born on July 21, 1924 in Morgantown, West Virginia. He was the youngest of four children and served in the United States Army during World War II. In addition to his acting career, he was a chicken plucker to support himself. After receiving a degree in drama from West Virginia University, Knotts became a performer on the stage.
His popularity skyrocketed in the ’50s and ’60s, but he also worked in television shows, starring in a variety of roles throughout the decade. In the 1970s, Knotts starred in several western films. While his best known role was Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show, he also played a meddling landlord on Three’s Company. He had a long and successful career in Hollywood, appearing in more than 85 TV shows and feature films.
Don Knotts is buried in Los Angeles’ Westwood Memorial Park. A plaque in his memory features engraved images of Knotts’ most popular characters. During his lifetime, he earned five Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, including a nomination for The Andy Griffith Show. During his time on the show, Knotts and Andy Griffith became good friends, and they wrote a book together about their friendship.
Knotts’ career took off in the late ’50s. Having gained national attention on “Search for Tomorrow,” he appeared on a variety of TV shows. Eventually, he signed a contract with Universal Studios and began to work on family-friendly comedies. His performance in the 1957 film No Time for Sergeants was a major hit with audiences. It also served as a launching pad for his career with fellow actor Andrew Griffin.
Throughout his acting career, Don Knotts had a great sense of humor. He often appeared in skits and other comedy sketches. These appearances were credited with helping to boost his popularity with viewers. He was nominated for the Golden Laurel Award for Male Comedy Performance in 1967 for his role in ‘The Reluctant Astronaut’.
After leaving the Andy Griffith Show, Knotts went on to star in several feature films. Although he wasn’t considered a great filmmaker, he was a likable and easy-going actor. His characters were usually nervous and anxious men with poor social skills. They had low self-esteem and often appeared with a wide-eyed star expression.
In the late ’70s, Knotts returned to the small screen, starring on a series of television shows. This period included roles in the comedy drama Hot Lead and Cold Feet, the boxing comedy The Prize Fighter and the mystery-comedy The Private Eyes. Some of his other recurring roles include the Sheriff Denver Kid in the CBS sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and the meddling landlord on Three’s Company. Though he was an early snub of his time on the Andy Griffith Show, he was reunited with Griffith for another three seasons of the show. Ultimately, his departure from the show was the result of miscommunication with the creator of the show, Andy Griffith.
